Improvement in street-sweepers



4 Sheets--Sheet 1.

C. GEIGER. Street-Sweepers.

Patented September 16, 1873.

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C. GEIGER. Street-Sweepers.

Patentenlseptember 16, 1873.

WITNESSES l 4'Sheets--Sheet4r.-V C. l EIG ER.

Street-Sweepers.

Patented September6,1873

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.i NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN GEIGER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN STREET-SWEEPERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,84 7, dated September 16, 1573,: application filed J une 4, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN GEIGER, of the city and county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain Street-Sweepin g Machine, of which the following is a specification:

The invention relates to amachine for sweeping the streets of a city and loading the dirt at the same time into a box or holder, which forms a component part of the same.

Figure l is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the machine, the brushcylinders andthe dirt-boxbein g detached. Fig. 3 is a view of the elevating and depressing frame. Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the dirt-box. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 are views of the brush-cylinders and their brush-boxes.

A, Figs. 1 and 2, is the truck or frame of the machine on the wheels B B. C is the tongue, and D the drivers seat. The hind wheels B turn with separate independent shafts c, to which are fixed the spur-gear wheels E. F, Figs. l, 2, 3, is a rectangular frame at the front It rises and lowers vertically by means of the upright screw Gand the guides b. H, Figs. l, 2, are connecting-rods on opposite sides of the frame A. One end of each is linked or jointed to the depending legs c of the rectangular frame F. The other ends are fixed to the guide-rockers I on the shafts a of the hind wheels B. J, Figs. l and 2, is a shifterframe, which straddles the truck and vibrates on the pins d of the rods H. It extends to the drivers seat, so as to be within reach and easily operated. Its forward shifting motion is adjusted by the blocks d of the rods H. K, Figs.

l, 2, are rods, which connect at their front ends with the vibrating shifter-frame J at the joints e. Their back ends form stubs or straps f, in which the axle L, Fig. 1, of the cylindrical brush-holders M rests. The axle L is placed transversely at the rear of the machine in the straps of the side rods K. The cylindrical brush-holders turn on this axle independently of each other/'by means of the pinion gearwheels N of the said brush-holders and the spur-gear wheels E. The cylinders M have transverse boxes g placed at equal distances between the circular plates O, which form the 'heads of the said cylinders, Figs. 1, 6, 7, 8, 9. They are retained in placebythc sockets h, and

also by the bolts t', which extend from head to head. The blocks j of the brushes P take into the boxes g, and are held in place by bolts or other suitable devices. Q is a dirt-box, which is suspended betweentheframesAof thetruck by the transverse rod R (dotted lines, Fig. 2) and the lugs k, which bear on the standardsl of the pinion-shaft S, Figs. 1, 4. T is a rack at the front of the box Q, which gears with the pinion U on the shaft S. The revolution of the pinion on the rack by a crank applied to the shaft causes that end of the box to rise or lower, according to the direction given the said pinion. When the front end ofthe box is tilted or raised, a pawl-frame or pawl, V, of the pinion-shaft S, Fig. 4, takes into the teeth of the rack and holds the box in that position. W, Figs. 4, 5, is a dirt-pan, which is hinged to the rear of the box Q. It is for aiding the brushes P in sweeping the vdirt into the box. X is a tail-board, which is hinged to the dirtA pan, and folds over it when the machine is at work. When the box is filled the dirt-pan and the tail-board assume the positions shown in y dotted lines Wl X by drawing the ropeY, which leads to the drivers seat.

To put the machine in condition for working, the shifter'frame J is first thrown forward until the rods K, which carry the brush-cylinders M, bring the pinions N in gear with their spur-wheels E. The frame F is then raised by the screw G. The depending legs c elevate the front ends of the rods H K, and thereby de press the strap ends of the rods K until the brushes P ofthe cylinders M bear on the pavement. The spurfgear wheels E, being fixed to the same shafts with the hind wheels B of the truck, revolve with them, and, being geared with the pinions N of the cylinders M cause them to revolve rapidly and sweep the dirt from the street into the box Q; when the box is filled, the tail-board and dirt-pan are raised by the driver drawing on the rope Y, Fig. 5, the gear-wheels are thrown apart, and the machine-taken to any convenient place and unloaded by tilting the box through the medium of the rack and pinion T U; then the dirt is loaded into carts and taken away.

Two brush-cylinders are used to facilitate turnin g; for the same reason the hind Wheels turn with independent axles. When the cur.

2 y reinem vature of the brushes, by using, becomes so great as to affect their eciency, the cylinders can be reversed or change positions on the rod. For straight sweeping one cylinder will answer al1 requirements.

It will be observed, on reference to Figs. l and 2, that the rods H act as fulerums for the shiftin ,fg-frames J, and the guide-rockers I serve the saine purpose for the rods K. By turning on the shafts a of the hind wheels they accommodate to the elevation and depression ofthe ends ofthe rods K, while serving for fulcrums and guides to the same.

I claim as my invention- 1. The rectangular frame F, in combination with the screw Gr, connecting side rods H, and the rocker-guides I, for the purpose shown and described. l

2. The vibrating shifter J, in combination with the side rods K, brush-cylinder shaft L, and the revolving reversible brush-cylinders M, for the purpose shown and described.

3. rIhe vibrating shifter J, in combination with the side rodsHK, cylinder-shaft L, brushcylinders M, pinions N, spur-gears E, and the guide-rockers I, as and for the purpose shown and described.

4. In combination with the frame A, carryin g' the operating mechanism, the rectangular frame F, Working in the guides b and operated by the screw-rod G, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

5. The dirt-box Q, in combination with the shaft S, pinion U, and the rack T, as shown and described. y

6. The dirt-box Q, in combination with the pan W and the tail-board X, as and for the purpose shown and described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto sign my naine in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHRISTIAN GEIGEI.

Titnesses FRANCIS D. IAsronrns, GEO. C. SHELMERDINF.. 

